Clothes-line reel.



W. S. HANCE.

CLOTHES LINE REEL.

APPLICATION man uov. I3. 1915.

Patented July 3, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET I axi mesons w. s. HANCE. CLOTHES LINE REEL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13. 1915.

Patented July 3, 191?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- fill"- WILLIAM S. HANCE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

QLOTHES-LINE REEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented an a, tort.

Application filed November 13, 1915. Serial No. 61,344.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HANCE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Reels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clothes line reels of that general class or type in which the line is wound on a spring actuated drum contained in a suitable housing or casing.

.The invention has for its objeci to simpli'iy and improve the construction of the spring actuated drum or barrel as well as the construction of the housing in which the said drum or barrel is contained.

A further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the means whereby the parts of the device are assembled together in such a manner that the clothes line and the spring may be readily renewed when worn or injured, the remaining parts of the device being of such a character that breakage or injury is not liable tooccur.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood,v the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings has been 'iilustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made tothe precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications Within the scope of the claim may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing the improved clothes line reel supported in position for operation.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2. in Fig. i.

Fig". 3 is an end view showing the parts of the housing or casing detached and separated from each other. i

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the body part of the housing. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the lid or cover of the housing.

Fig. 6 is a view in end elevation showing the parts of the drum or spring barrel detached and separated fi'om each other.

Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of the lid portion of the drum.

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of the body portion of the drum.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the main shaft orv axle detached.

- a Fig. 10 is a perspective detail view of the dog or pawl detached.

Fig. 11 is a perspective detail'view of the handle whereby the dog is actuated, de-

an annular flange 17 for the reception of i which a groove or recess 18 is formed in the Wall of the body 'member so that the parts when assembled will present a smooth. and neat appearance. The body member 15 lS-fOIIIlGd with an external bracket 19 having an eye or aperture 20 to enable the device to be suspended for operation on a supporting member, such as a hook 21. The body member'and the lid are provided with centrally disposed non-circular apertures 22, 23 for the passage of corresponding noncircular portions 24; of the axle or shaft 25, the latter beihg provided with threaded extremities 26 for the reception of the assembling nuts 27. The body portion of the housing is also provided in its peripheral wali portion with. a slot 28 for the passage of a clothes line, and said body portion is, inrthermore, provided intermediate the central aperture 22 and the peripheral wall portion with an aperature 29, the purpose oi? which will be presently made apparent.

The drum or spring barrel 30 which is of approximately cylindrical form is provided with a detachable side member or lid 31, said barrel and lid being provided with central apertures 32, 33, whereby the parts may be mounted for rotation on correspond ing circular portions 34 of the axle 25. The

lid portion 31 extends beyond the perimeter of the barrel 30 to form an annular flange 35; a similar flange 36 extends circumferontially from the barrel 30 which when assembied with the lid will thus constitute a reel on which the clothes line 3"?" may be wound. The barrel and the iid are provided with registering apertures 37 for the passage of v a pin 38. Formed or secured externally on the barrel 30 is a ratchet wheel 39. The spring is terminally connected at one end with the pin 38 and at the other 'end with a lug or projection 41 formed on the shaft or axle 25. V

Fitted for rotation in the aperture 29 of the body of the housing is a stem 42 car rying a dog 43 that engages the ratchet wheel. 39. The stem 42 has a non-circular portion 44 that extends beyond the body of the casing and on which is fitted a handle 45 which may be secured by upsetting or clenching the projecting end portion 44. It will be seen that the dog 43 is positioned within the housing-in engagement with the ratchet wheel 39, while. the handle 45 where: by the dog may bemanipulated is positioned externally of the housing.

The construction, as wellas the manner of assembling the parts of the device, will be readily understood from the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, the parts of the, drum or spring barrel being mounted for rotation on the shaft and connected together by the pin 38 so as to rotate in unison. The clothes line 37 which is wound on the spring barrel is terminally extended through the aperture vided with a terminal link 46 which is of axle and engaging the required portion of the clothes line has thus been withdrawn and secured, the dog; i restored to engagement with the ratchet viheel 39, thereby preventing further withdrawal of the clothes line'and thus preventing it from sagging when the weight of garments is imposed thereon. The general construction of the improved device is simple and inexpensive, and the device will be found to be thoroughly useful for the purposes for which it is provided.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new, is

In a'device of'the class described, in combination a truly cylindrical box,'a lid adapt- I ed to cover said box and formed with a hub on its inner side, the back wall of said box being formed with a hub on its inner side, a cylindrical drum having a flange on one side almost equal in diameter to said box with an integral ratchet Wheel on this flange sitting adjacent the last-named hub, a separatable lid closing'said drum at its oppo site side and forming a flange equal in diameter to the other flange, this last-named lid sitting against the other hub, an axle having reduced cylindrical portionsmounted in said drum lid and in said ratchet wheel and having polygonal stubs passing through the lid and back wall of said drum, the ends of said axle being threaded, and nuts engaging the threaded ends of said the outer sides of said box, said axle havlng shoulders at the point of juncture of said stubs therewith and against these shoulders said hubs bear.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature J E. BORLAND, G. W. BURKE. 

